Shadowbreath Part 5
by She'sLikeTexas
Summary: Peter is worthy, and Halloween at Stark Tower is a blast.


**Note: Thank you for following this story! This one shows that Peter is worthy, and Halloween is a blast. Threw in a few other Marvel references…Enjoy!**

**Shadowbreath **

**Part 5**

"Peter Benjamin Parker, if you take so much as one more _step_ in my direction, I will shove my foot so far up your ass that-" The rest of MJ's threat was cut off by her scream as Peter leapt over the couch and emptied the can of whipped cream in her face.

Alex was on the floor rolling with laughter, arms wrapped around her cramping stomach when Ned followed Peter's lead. She growled, licking her lips and wiping a hand across her eyes to see that the boys were fist bumping in triumph. A song off of Taylor Swift's new album played in the background, and she got an idea. Alex didn't bother to wipe off the rest of it, instead deciding to turn and face MJ, who was reaching for a hand towel. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Her friend returned her gaze with a dangerous glint in her eye. _This_ was why she and MJ got along so well. While Peter was still the closest thing she had to a brother, he was sweet, innocent, and untarnished, the complete opposite of Alex. He'd dealt with more loss than anyone she had ever known, besides the Avengers, but it never affected his gentle disposition. MJ on the other hand, was hardened by her experiences in a way that Alex respected. She never cared what anyone else thought of her, and her friend was never afraid to speak her mind. MJ was downright terrifying, and a formidable ally to have when facing her senior year of high school. Going from being homeschooled by the Mafia to her first full school year at a public school was more than a little intimidating, but Alex's friends made it easy on her. It also helped that people now knew that she lived with Captain America, so nobody besides a few prissy cheerleaders messed with her.

"If you're thinking of making these losers pay, then yes." MJ nodded, and Alex smirked before snapping into action, moving quickly across the apartment to the kitchen and rolling around Peter towards the fridge. He yelped, trying to intercept her, but Alex summoned a burst of air to push him backwards. Thankfully, it was stealthy enough for Ned and MJ not to notice, but Alex couldn't really care less. She had been less and less careful with her powers around them, something Peter had chided her for. Alex trusted her friend, and if Ned was allowed to know their secrets, then why couldn't MJ?

With Peter out of the way, Alex dove towards the fridge, hauling out a handful of the last four cans of whipped cream and throwing two in MJ's direction. Her friend caught them out of the air and peeled off the seal efficiently. Alex spun on her heel and did the same, locking eyes with a wide-eyed Peter. He held up his hands placatingly with a nervous chuckle, "Girls, let's just take it easy."

Ned bumped shoulders with him as MJ sidled up next to Alex. "Y-yeah, we can come to some kind of truce here, can't we?"

Alex glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye, biting her cheek from laughing at her face, still smeared with whipped cream. "What do you say, MJ?" She hummed, "Think we can work it out civilly?"

MJ smirked, shaking the can in her hand. "Who do you take me for? Betty Williams?"

"Revenge it is," Alex agreed, pausing for a moment before leaping towards Ned while MJ rushed Peter. After ten minutes of too-high pitched screaming and some overly enthusiastic gymnastics moves, Alex and MJ finally had the boys trapped underneath them while they sat on their backs, emptying the contents of the final can into their faces.

Everyone panted heavily, and Alex smirked at Peter. He could get out of this easily if he wanted to, the boy could lift upwards of twenty-five tons of Christ's sake, but he was enjoying having MJ so close too much to do anything about it. Neither of them had done anything about their painfully obvious crushes in the ten months since she's been at Midtown High, but she hoped that might change tomorrow night.

At least Ned had finally pulled his courage together and gotten himself a girlfriend. Betty Brant was sweet, and he seemed happy with her. They were going to Flash's Halloween party as Harley Quinn and the Joker, the weird energy of it enough to hold off her nausea at couple's costumes. MJ would be going as Rosie the Riveter, and she even had written a whole speech to carry around with her that detailed the Icon's origins and her effect on women in the workforce during World War Two. Since Peter was going to go as Thor, a decision that she guessed was meant more to get under Tony's skin than anything, Alex chose to go as Supergirl from the comic books. Steve had taken one look at the outfit and demanded that she buy tights to cover up her legs. She did to appease him, but Alex had no intention of going to Flash's party with them on.

That was another interesting development in the past few months. Ever since the Tower debacle, Flash Thompson had evolved from a moronic bully to a somewhat decent guy. After he apologized to Peter, Alex, Ned, and MJ, he left them alone for a full month. After that, he started interacting with them a bit more, and now they were friendly enough for him to invite their former "loser" group to his Halloween Party. Flash had even started calling Peter "Parker" rather than an obscene nickname. It was a nice change of pace, and Alex was actually pretty excited about the party, especially since it meant a full night off from training with Doctor Strange. They would probably stay for a few hours before heading back to the Tower. Tony was throwing his own Halloween party, and was expecting the teenagers to come end the night celebrating with the Avengers.

The boys squired underneath them, but Alex and MJ just laughed and smeared the whipped cream in more until the front door clicked open. Everyone froze when Aunt May walked in and paused, taking in the scene in front of her. The corners of her mouth twitched, and Alex had a moment to sigh in relief that she wasn't upset that they basically destroyed her apartment with the topping, before she let out a rush of air and snorted. "Are you four seventeen or seven?"

Peter wiped his face off and grinned, flinging MJ off of him expertly. Alex didn't give Ned the chance, and instead moved to grab a few towels from the kitchen. "Depends on who you ask," Peter chuckled, "Tony would tell you that seven is far too generous."

Alex threw each of her friends a towel while May set down her purse in a cream-free part of the couch. Thankfully, the four of them had the sense to put down a few tarps around the furniture and floor before their war began. "It's getting late, kids." May announced, helping Ned and her nephew reach a few places they missed. She turned to MJ and Alex, "Do you two need a ride to your apartment, MJ? It looks like a storm is coming."

Her friend shook her head, "Nah, Alex and I are just going to walk. It's only twenty minutes away."

May nodded, glancing over at Peter and Alex. "Peter, don't forget to call Tony and Pepper before bed, and Alex, make sure to call Steve when you make it to MJ's."

They both groaned half-heartedly before helping to finish cleaning up their mess. It had been a year since the Battle on Capitol Hill, and Alex was pleased that her place among the Avengers family hadn't changed like she feared it might. She worried that they would grow sick of her, or that her stint of losing control of her emotions a few months ago would get her kicked out, but they treated her as one of their own every day. Peter was no longer embarrassed to call Tony 'dad,' and their relationship was as strong as ever. Even Pepper had stepped in as well and considered Peter as her son, both of them sharing the responsibility of raising a teenager with May. The wedding was coming up in a few months, a year to the day they got engaged. May was her Maid of Honor, and she had asked Alex, Natasha, and Wanda to be her bridesmaids. Tony had asked Colonel Rhodes to be his Best Man, and Peter, Steve, Happy and Clint would be his groomsmen. 53 days until the big day.

While everyone's relationship was moving forward, Alex didn't think she would ever be comfortable with calling Steve anything other than his name, though technically he has been her legal guardian for almost eleven months now. She adored him, and though they had their arguments every now and then, Alex could say that she really loved him. She loved _all_ of the Avengers. They had taken her in, protected her, encouraged her, and helped her make up for her past mistakes.

Alex broke herself out of her thoughts as they said goodbye to May, Peter, and Ned, and she followed MJ out of the apartment. Her friend seemed to notice her roaming mind, because MJ stuffed her hands in her pockets and knocked her shoulder against Alex's. "Penny for your thoughts?"

She shrugged, the corners of her mouth twitching. "I'm just...thinking, I guess. I'm happy."

MJ smirked as they turned down Dartmouth Street, "Happy is good."

They continued towards MJ's apartment in silence with Alex grinning down at her feet. Happy was very good.

XX

"Love you, kiddo. I'll see you tomorrow."

Tony watched Peter wave through the holoscreen before he shut it off, returning to his pet project. He was putting the finishing touches on a piece of Peter's Halloween costume when a sharp crack of lightning struck outside of the Tower. He flipped his welding goggles up and narrowed his eyes at the ceiling.

Wanda sat up on the couch, glancing nervously over at Tony. "You don't think…"

The billionaire abandoned his project and rushed to the elevator with Wanda at his heels. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., send us up."

The ride only lasted a few seconds, but it was long enough to send goosebumps dancing across his skin. The lone bolt of lightning could mean one of two things, either the man upstairs had an issue with his "Big ugly tower" as Steve likes to call it, or…

"Friends!" A painfully familiar voice boomed. F.R.I.D.A.Y. let them out on the Common Room floor, and they were met with the sight of the rest of the Avengers crowded around Thor. When the blonde giant caught sight of Tony, his bright blue eyes widened, and the billionaire had the sudden urge to duck for cover. "Brother!" Thor's mammoth arms encircled him, crushing Tony against his chest. He shook him feverently, "The forefathers smile upon our fated reunion."

"Yeah, big guy, it's good to see you too." He wheezed while pushing against the Asgaurdian with all of his might, but the demigod took it as a sign of affection. He finally released the billionaire and moved to hug Wanda next, who didn't even try to avoid him.

Tony patted himself down to make sure nothing was broken and flung himself onto the couch in between Pepper and Sam. Steve poured Thor a pitcher of beer and handed it to him before leaning against the loveseat where Bucky sat. "Where have you been, Thor?"

The Asgaurdian chugged the first glass down in one sitting, letting out a particularly wet burp when he was finished. "I am the Prince of Asgard, my friend. My duties to my Realm have been numerous and adventurous, certainly worthy of my attention."

Natasha handed him another pitcher and brushed away a long strand of blonde hair. "What brings you back to Earth? Or did you just miss us?"

Thor beamed at her, "It is always a time for celebration when I am able to break bread with my friends. Alas, I have come to find my father. My brother Loki has sent him here, to Earth." Clint grimaced at the mention of the demigod, but kept quiet.

"You came at the right time," Tony clapped his hands together eagerly. "I'm throwing a Halloween party tomorrow night, and you're going. It's been some time since we've gotten to party together."

Steve shook his head in exasperation at the thought of the last time they all 'partied' together, but smiled. "Plus, the kids are coming. You can meet them as well."

Thor's eyes widened, "You have bred children? How long have I been away?"

Natasha snorted, holding her hand to her mouth. Tony thought she must be really excited to have Thor here to let out a fucking snort. "It's been a little less than three years, but Steve and Tony's kids are teenagers. Peter and Alex are both seventeen now. Avengers in training."

The Asgaurdian's laughter boomed once again, causing Tony to bite back a wince. "What wonderful news, my friends! I shall meet these beloved offspring of yours, consume a great amount of alcohol, and then return to my search for my father." He pounded back the second pitcher easily.

The billionaire raised at brow at the hammer Thor had deposited onto the floor next to him. "Peter's actually going as _you_ as Halloween, Point Break. Not that I'm jealous or anything. Kid dressed up as Iron Man for years before he decided to try out something new." Tony shrugged, "I'm making him a fancy smancy hammer and everything."

"Fancy Smancy?" Sam asked skeptically.

Tony shot him a _look_. "Yes, Sidekick. I installed one of my own biometric designs into a replica hammer that is designed to redistribute weight. That way, the only people that can lift the damn thing are Peter and I, unless one of you monsters with super strength tries to get ahold of it."

Thor nodded, impressed. "Brother, your prowess with machinery is remarkable. Even my kin in Asgard would be impressed at your attempt to reproduce Mjolnir." Tony preened at the compliment, smirking over at Sam. "Friends, please share what I have missed during my absence. Three years must be lengthy in your short life spans."

Steve and Tony glanced nervously at each other before shrugging. Might as well tell him the truth, considering they had worked everything out now.

"Well, big guy, the Avengers kind of broke up for a little while. But, we're all better now."

XX

"Don't even think about being late tonight," MJ growled as she watched Alex slide into the passenger seat of Peter's Audi. "The only reason I'm going in the first place is because you two are basically dragging me."

Peter resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "Don't worry, we are just stopping by the Tower so Alex can change and I can grab my hammer from Tony." He was already fully dressed in his Thor costume, complete with the helmet and red cape. MJ pursed her lips, and Peter knew that she was _not_ looking forward to putting on a costume. "It will be fun, we'll be there by nine, I _promise_."

"If you're even a minute late I'm walking out and leaving Ned to fend for himself." She warned. Peter promised her once again that they would be on time, and waved goodbye.

Alex turned in her seat as they headed home, "She's not joking. I'll change into my costume real quick, and then meet you back in the lobby. We can just give the keys to Al to hold onto."

Peter nodded and fidgeted with his helmet. "I texted Tony, he said he would bring the hammer up to the Common Room floor for me."

Thankfully, the drive to the Tower wasn't a long one, especially compared to how long it used to be when the Avengers still lived at the Compound. He and Alex pulled up at eight thirty, which gave Alex exactly ten minutes to change if they were going to make it to Flash's party in time for MJ not to bail out. Tony's guests wouldn't be arriving for another hour or so, so the valet line was clear. Peter pulled up beside Al's stand and tossed him the keys. "We'll be back in ten!" He shouted over his shoulder.

Alex rushed ahead of him to one of the elevators and gave him a little wave as the doors closed. Peter took the second one and asked F.R.I.D.A.Y. to bring him upstairs. As he stepped onto the Common Room floor, his eyes widened.

The entire place had been completely redone for the Halloween party, with elaborate lights and exotic structures scattered around. There was a pumpkin carving station off to the side, fifteen cocktail tables with vintage lanterns and orange and black roses as the centerpieces. Someone had added shelving layers and mood lighting to the kitchen bar, displaying enough alcohol to fill Lake Erie. The bartenders polished their stacks of glasses while the electricians finished stringing up the hanging lights.

"Hey Pete," Sam greeted with a mouthful of popcorn from the kitchen. "Nice costume."

Peter snorted at Sam, who was dressed up in a giant silver armor onesie with at least fifteen toy water guns taped around it. "War Machine?"

He grinned widely and held out a fist for Peter to bump and deposited himself on the couch before stuffing another handful into his mouth. "Shouldn't you be at your other party?"

Peter began searching around the room, trying to see if Tony had dropped off the last piece of his costume yet. "Yeah, I'm just looking for…" He finally spotted the hammer now illuminated by a mechanical jack-O-lantern near the cackling witch. "Here it is!"

He took four long strides and closed his fingers around the handle, pulling it upwards in one fluid motion. He flipped it around to test the weight, but barely had time to examine it before "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish sounded from his pocket. He pressed it to his ear and winced, "Yes, I'm coming, I'm coming!" Peter ended the call and rolled his eyes, already making his way back towards the elevator. "I gotta go, Alex is already downstairs. See you later Sam, tell my dad thanks when you see him! We'll be back in a few hours."

When the elevator doors closed, Peter barely registered Sam's shocked silence and the look of complete and utter disbelief on his face while forgotten kernels of popcorn stumbled out of his gaping mouth.

XX

Tony stepped out onto the Common Room floor, running his fingers across the smooth surface of Peter's mock-hammer. "Kiddo?" He asked, frowning as he looked around to find only the bartenders, the electrician, and Sam. "Has Peter been by yet? I need to give him the piece for his costume."

Sam was sitting completely wide-eyed, staring at The elevator and not blinking. That was weird. "Hey, Sidekick. Have you seen my kid?" Still no answer. Tony moved around so that he was standing right in front of Sam's dumbfounded face and waved.

"Is our friend well, brother?" Thor's voice roared behind him, and Tony winced. He would have to remind the Asgaudrian about appropriate levels of "inside voices" yet again.

Tony shrugged, "I'm not sure, he's been staring at the damn elevator for the past five minutes." He looked at Thor over his shoulder, "have you seen my kid around?"

Sam finally blinked and jerked upright, causing popcorn to trickle onto the couch, "He left!"

The billionaire furrowed his brow. "What do you mean he left? I'm supposed to give him his hammer."

"He left. With the hammer." Sam breathed, not bothering to clean up his mess. How rude.

"What do you mean he left _with_ the hammer? _I_ have the hammer." He waved it around in front of their faces to prove his point.

Thor reached out to touch Sam's shoulder. "Have you taken a blow to the head?"

The veteran sprung up from his spot, startling the others. "_Stark_! Peter came up, picked up the hammer from over there," he pointed towards the creepy ass witch that Tony hated, "and _left_!"

But that didn't make any sense. Tony stepped back away from Sam, who had started to hyperventilate. "I still have his hammer, Sidekick. The only other goddamn hammer in the Tower is…" His own eyes widened at the possible implication, and he turned towards Thor. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., play back the footage of Peter arriving."

"Yes, Boss."

The muted _Friday the 13th_ movie was replaced by footage from fifteen minutes earlier. The three men watched in stunned silence as the elevator deposited Peter onto the Common Room floor, where he glanced around at the decorations before finding the hammer across the room. Just like Sam said, his kid walked over, picked up one of the most powerful weapons in the known universe as if it was made of plastic, flipped it around in the air and walked back to the elevator like nothing ever happened.

"_Holy fucking shit!" _

XX

MJ hated parties. She hated crowds. She hated teenagers that lost their minds from drinking too much Trash Can Punch.

But she didn't hate Peter.

Peter was one of the most genuinely sincere people she had ever met, and if he could forgive that idiot Flash for all of the shit he put him through over the years, then MJ could too. So, if Peter wanted to come to Flash's Halloween party to show some support, considering it had only been a month since his mom kicked his dad out, then MJ would follow. At least, she would follow until nine. Unless her two best friends showed up in the next three minutes, she planned on calling a cab and spending the night curled up on the couch with a glass of chocolate milk while watching the new documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

MJ rolled her eyes at the laugh Betty had let out at one of Ned's stupid jokes. She was a nice girl, but MJ had to reply on Alex to stop her from throttling Betty far too often for her liking. Those two were ridiculous with their PDA. Even now, they had been at the party for a little less than twenty minutes, and they were already necking in the corner. People were pouring in from both the front and back door, and the living room, devoid of any of its usual furniture, filled up quickly. Flash worked the DJ booth, nodding his head along to new Drake song. Colored fluorescent lights flashed, and MJ had the sudden urge to get the hell out of there.

Before she could, Peter and Alex slid in beside her and blocked her path. "Going somewhere?" Alex asked with a knowing smirk.

Peter grabbed the untouched drink from MJ's loose grip and downed it in one long gulp before offering his hand. "Dance with me?"

Maybe she could stay for just one dance. Besides, MJ didn't hate Peter.

"Let's go, loser."

XX

"What do you mean, _'what are we going to do about this_?'" Tony growled at Steve. "We aren't going to do anything about it!"

Clint snorted, "So you just want to pretend that our own Spider-kid isn't worthy enough to rule Asgard?"

"Got it in one."

Thor was holding his head in his hands, no doubt spinning with the knowledge that his beloved hammer was in the hands of a teenager most likely partying his ass off in Queens. "Ay, I do not wish to share my throne, brother. The grief imparted on by Loki is enough to handle for now."

"Don't worry Point Break, you won't be sharing your throne with anyone." He eyed the rest of the Avengers warily, "especially not _my_ kid. Peter's not allowed to travel out of New York without my permission, much less another fucking _world_."

"How are you planning on keeping this from him, Tony?" Natasha asked with a smirk dancing across her pretty face. "He's going to notice if you switch out the hammers when he gets here."

Steve scratched the back of his head, "What if we don't switch them? He's not hurting anyone by hanging onto your hammer for the night, right Thor? Tomorrow, Tony can just say that it broke somehow."

The Asgaurdian leaned back against the soft cushions and flung back his ale. "This child of Tony's now possesses the mighty power of Thor. As long as he stays blissfully ignorant of that power, I am happy letting the young one hold onto it."

Tony clapped his hands together with glee, "perfect. So we all agree that everyone keeps their yaps shut about the goddamn hammer, while still acknowledging that my kid is better than all of you combined? Right, perfect. It's time to party!"

XX

Alex leaned against the back wall watching all of her friends dance to a song she didn't recognize. Betty and Ned barely had any space between them while Peter and MJ were quickly closing the distance. She hummed with pleasure knowing that her two best friends would finally stop tip-toeing around one another. They've liked each other for ages, and it had been a complete nightmare knowing that neither would just pull the trigger on an actual relationship. Maybe tonight would finally break them out of whatever wicked spell had been keeping them apart.

She saw a figure slide up next to her out of the corner of her eye, but kept her gaze focused on the crowd while taking another sip. She didn't recognize him, but that wasn't surprising. Flash's parties were somewhat infamous, so teenagers from all over Queens found their way over for the free alcohol. He was a little on the shorter side, which she wouldn't normally mind, but the teenager was swaying uneasily, and it was painfully obvious that he was overindulging in the Trash Can punch.

Alex sighed and counted down from three, knowing it was foolish for her to believe she might actually be left alone for once. It was almost impossible with people now knowing who her guardian was.

Three...two...one…

"So, I take it parties aren't really your thing?"

Thought so.

She hummed but didn't turn to look at him, instead keeping her focus on MJ and Peter.

"I'm guessing you might be a jealous ex?"

Alex snorted, spilling some of her drink back into the cup, "Excuse me?"

He pointed his red solo cup towards the dancing crowd, the pink liquid sloshing over the sides. "You're staring. You must be jealous."

She barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes and turned to face him with a popped brow. "More like I have a dog in the race. I want to see my family happy."

"So, not a jealous ex." His lopsided smile widened, suddenly hopeful.

Alex stared at him for a moment longer before leaning her back against the wall again. "No. But that doesn't mean I'm interested. Go find someone else to flirt with."

Her drunk shadow made a strangled affronted sound at the back of his throat and stumbled slightly. "You really are a bitch, aren't you? Can't just have a nice conversation?" The words slurred slightly and she frowned at him.

"Just leave it, douchebag."

She watched a flicker of anger flash across his face, and he seemed to be deciding if he wanted to continue the argument or leave it be. When he sloshed his drink a little more, stepping closer, Alex felt an arm snake around her shoulder.

"Hi love, is this asshole bothering you?" She looked up at the newcomer, who was at least five inches taller than her. He was handsome, that was for sure. From what she could gather from the dim lights, he was Hispanic with dark curly hair that fell over his green eyes. His tanned skin radiated warmth, and Alex felt herself relax beneath his arm.

The corner of Alex's mouth twitched. "You know, I think he was just leaving."

The shorter boy scowled at the newcomer, but scurried away like he was nervous that if he stayed too long, it might result in a fight that wouldn't end well for him. The moment he was out of sight, the arm disappeared from her shoulder. He grinned sheepishly, "Sorry about that, thought you might need some saving."

Alex lifted her eyes to the ceiling, willing her slowly waning patience to hold on a little longer. If only he knew. "I can take care of myself, thanks."

He smirked at her, taking a small sip of the drink in his hand. "Somehow I believe you."

"You should. I don't recognize you from Midtown." Alex considered after examining him for a few moments.

The newcomer held his hand out, "Bobby da Costa. It's nice to meet you."

She took it, running the name through her mind and sighing when she came up empty. "Alex Rogers."

Bobby smiled and squeezed her hand for a moment longer before letting it drop. "My mom is friends with Mrs. Thompson. Flash and I played soccer together when we were younger."

As the music changed to something with a quicker tempo, Alex shifted uncomfortably. "How are they doing? Flash puts on such a front at school. He talks to Peter sometimes, but…" she shrugged. "We know family stuff is hard."

The boy gave her a sad smile. "It is hard, but they'll both be okay." Bobby turned back towards the crowd. "So, why are you over here all by yourself?"

"I'm not a big dancer. Plus, I don't want to interrupt my friends while they're…" Alex nodded towards Peter and MJ and grinned at the floor, "doing whatever it is that they're doing. They need this."

"And what do you need, Miss Rogers?" His slight accent sent little tendrils of sparks shooting down her spine. Bobby eyed her appraisingly and held out his hand as the song shifted again. "A partner who can keep up, perhaps?"

XX

"Seriously, how did I pick the perfect beer pong partner?"

Alex shouted happily as the ping pong ball hit the final cup perfectly. "Ned, Betty, drink!"

Bobby threw his arm around her shoulders, tugging her flush against his side and cupping his free hand over his mouth to call out to the surrounding crowd. "Who's ready to get their asses beat?"

XX

Peter picked a card from the loose pile surrounding the Bud Light can, eyeing the small crowd around him suspiciously. He flipped the card over quickly and threw his hands up in the air. "Seven-Heaven!"

Ned, Betty, MJ, Alex, Flash, and two strangers matched his movements, leaving the new guy, Bobby, trailing along last. Peter snorted, pointing a finger at him. "You know what that means da Costa!" The teenager shook his head in amusement but took a swig from him cup.

"And Miss Rogers, I seem to remember that you're my partner, which means you take a drink too!"

Alex shrugged and tipped her cup in his direction before knocking it back. Peter was keeping a close eye on all of his friends, considering he himself couldn't actually get drunk. Ned and Betty were on round three while MJ barely touched hers. Alex had just finished her second one, which meant she would only wanted water next. She never started on a third.

Bobby seemed like a nice enough guy. He seemed to be one of Flash's few actual friends, one that wasn't a complete asshole. While Flash has gotten significantly better over the past few months, it didn't change his former possy. Bobby was a kick ass soccer player from what Peter could tell from the few moves he had seen. They were all hanging out in the backyard, sitting around Flash's giant wooden deck. King's Cup was Ned's idea, surprisingly, and a really fun drinking game. Alex sat with her legs crossed, and stuck close by her new friend. He could barely keep his eyes off of her, and didn't even seem embarrassed when she caught him staring. Peter was surprised, but kept his mouth shut. If Alex finally, _finally_ liked someone, and his Spidey Senses were quiet, then he would just let it happen.

XX

"Dude, are you serious?" Ned asked, eyes wide and excited as Peter showed off the hammer Tony made him out in Flash's backyard.

"For the hundredth time, yes Ned! I can't figure out how he did it, but the hammer totally works!"

Alex tugged on the handle strap once more, muscles straining from the impossible weight. She huffed in exasperation and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. "That man really is a genius."

Word must have gotten out about Peter's realistic costume, because a line of people were now crowded around, each waiting for their turn. MJ stood a little closer to Peter than normal, ignoring the smirk from Alex. He hovered, letting his elbow tap her arm and leaving it there. He could feel her body heat even underneath his long sleeves, and his skin tingled from the warmth. Sure, the hammer was cool and all, but MJ was close enough to touch and she wasn't moving away. Peter barely tried to smother his ridiculous smile.

He glanced around the crowd, chuckling at people's failed attempts to lift the hammer. He would need to ask Tony how the hell he managed it, because Peter was completely baffled. Everyone else seemed confused too, but there were two teenagers who had completely lost interest in his little party trick. Alex was pressed up against a darkened corner of the red brick house, lips locked onto Bobby's face. A surge of protectiveness soared within his chest, and he nudged MJ again before nodding in their direction.

To her credit, MJ blinked wildly, which in her world meant that she was just as shocked at the turn of events as he was. Alex never seemed to like _anyone_. As far as he knew, this was her first kiss. It wasn't as if guys didn't try to hit on her all the time, but she just never seemed interested. Plus, once everyone found out that her guardian was Captain freaking America, guys tended to approach with caution. From what he knew of Bobby, he went to a private school in Westchester County, so he had no idea who Alex was, or that she or Peter had any sort of connection to the Avengers. Peter leaned over so that his lips were closer to MJ's ear. "Five bucks says that she invites him to the Tower."

MJ just smirked out of the corner of her eye. "I'll take that bet. Bringing him to the party would mean that he would meet Steve. Somehow I doubt she'll be willing to take that risk."

Ned groaned loudly from the center of the crowd, "Peter, there is no lifting this thing. Flash and I even tried lifting it together!"

Peter shrugged and straightened a little before walking back towards the hammer. It felt pretty damn cool to be the only one who could lift it, despite it being coded to his fingerprint. He had never met Thor before, but he imagined this is what he must feel like all the time. The hammer slid into his palm easily, perfectly balanced. Peter could almost pretend that he heard a faint humming coming from inside, which must be the mechanics working. Either way, he twirled it around, the corners of his lips twitching upwards as MJ studied him in that strangely detached way of hers.

He decided to be bold. "Like what you see?" Peter bowed, grinning at her. "The mighty Thor at your service."

MJ snorted and shook her head. "I think I like Spider-Man better."

Peter flinched, eyes widening at her permanent knowing smirk. "I...uh..yeah, I totally agree! Spider-Man. Cool dude. Mega, mega cool dude." He sputtered a bit, trying to reign in his word vomit. "Not that I've ever met him, of course. But you know. He's pretty cool."

She reached up and pressed a light kiss on his cheek, sending white-hot sparks dancing across his skin. "Go get your 'cousin,' Thor. It's time to blow this joint."

XX

"Who the hell is that?" Steve asked from his spot at the bar, staring daggers at the six teenagers who had just walked in. MJ was rolling her eyes and handing Peter a five dollar bill, who then stuffed it into his pocket gleefully.

Natasha cocked her head, setting down the drink she had just finished making. "Looks like someone brought a boy home."

Steve swallowed thickly, forcing himself not to freak out. He knew this would happen eventually, Tony had warned him it would happen soon. Alex was a good looking teenager, and she couldn't stay apathetic to relationships forever. He sort of wished that were the case, though. But Peter and Ned were talking to the handsome young man animatedly, which probably meant that they liked the kid. He couldn't tell if they had known him long, especially since he didn't recognize him, but if Peter wasn't sending 'evil villain' vibes towards Steve, then he probably thought the kid was fine.

Tony strolled up next to him with Pepper on his arm. They really looked incredible as Gomez and Morticia Addams, and Steve was pleased that he recognized them instantly. It had been one of the movies the Avengers had forced him to watch during one of their many movie nights at the Tower. Steve kept his costume simple, wanting to feel comfortable in his own clothes again. His khaki pants rested higher on his waist then his normal jeans, and he wore a plain white long sleeve shirt with red suspenders and a matching bow tie. Natasha and Bucky had helped him find a newsboy hat as well, and he felt right at home.

"Think we should go embarrass our kids a bit, Rogers? Or are you waiting for Alex to come over and introduce her new boy toy?"

Steve could feel the growl deep within his chest, and was thankful the music covered it up. "He could just be a friend, Tony."

Pepper laughed, and it was a strange sight with her long black wig. "Steve, sweetheart, not with the way he's looking at her. See? They're even holding hands."

"Peter is holding MJ's hand." Natasha pointed out, taking another sip of her apple martini.

He couldn't stop the laugh that escaped his lips when Tony's head snapped towards the teenagers. The billionaire's eyes widened, but he schooled his features quickly and flashed them his best winning smile. "Kid's been all about that girl for a while now. Glad to see he's finally worked up the courage to do something about it. Must be the hammer."

Steve still couldn't believe that a seventeen year old kid was currently holding Mjolnir, proving that he was worthy to possess the power of Thor, the actual god of thunder. The Asgaurdian in question was currently getting completely smashed on his third round of the 'mead' he had brought from home. Steve had enough at the last party to last a lifetime. Besides, he didn't need to be drunk to have fun, he really was enjoying himself. After another beer, he caught Alex's eye and waved her over.

She hesitated before waving back, nodding her friends in the Avengers' direction. That Bobby kid was looking around the floor like it was made of diamonds or something, his eyes going wide when they landed on who had caught their attention. He glanced at Alex, back at Tony and Steve, then back at Alex. She laughed nervously and dropped his hand like it burned.

Peter obviously caught onto the sudden awkwardness and stepped forward, spinning around with his trusty hammer. "So, think I could win the contest for best dressed tonight?"

Tony laughed and tugged Pepper closer to his side. "Sorry kiddo, I think the two of us have this one in the bag. Although, with all of that blonde hair, you could probably sneak in as Cousin Itt. We could have the whole Addams family gig going!"

"Only if Alex goes as Wednesday. They're too similar for her to try and be anyone else."

Steve snorted. It was far too easily to picture his kid as the bitter and woeful Wednesday Addams, especially since Wanda had braided her hair into two long braided pigtails a couple of weeks ago. He stood up, saying hi to the group of teenagers before extending his hand towards the newcomer. "Steve Rogers. And you are?" 

The boy standing entirely too close to Alex gave him a shaky grin and took his hand. "Nice to meet you Mr. Rogers, I'm-"

"-Bobby?"

Everyone turned around to see a man with rippling muscles that rivaled his own. He had a full, sharp beard that reminded him of Tony, but a much more dangerous glint in his eye. Whatever vibe this man was giving off, Steve didn't like it. He immediately stepped in front of Alex, jostling the new kid Bobby out of the way.

Tony blinked, getting over his obvious shock. "Mr. Howlett. Didn't expect to see you here."

The man narrowed his eyes at Tony, his gaze flickering from him to the other Avengers. "Thanks for the invite, Stark." Finally, he turned his attention back to the teenagers. "What're you doing here, Bobby?"

The teenager wiped his now sweaty hands onto his dark jeans. "Uh, I, uh, came here with Alex." Bobby gestured towards her, who had stepped out from behind Steve to give a little wave.

Mr. Howlett studied her, frowning. Steve didn't like that one bit. He rose up to his full height, looking the man in the eye. "I'm Steve Rogers. Alex is mine." It wasn't technically true, but it felt true enough to him.

What Steve didn't expect was for this obviously hardened man to break out into laughter, completely ignoring Steve's outstretched hand. Everyone else seemed surprised too, taking a step back from the intensity of it all. "Is something funny, Mr. Howlett?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

The man wiped a hand across his face and looked between Bobby and Alex again. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony was smirking too. "I just think it's a little twisted seeing Bobby here, in the Avengers Tower, with none other than Alexandria Rogers herself." He placed his hands on his hips and cocked his head, grinning at them all. "Stark, you want to explain what the hell one of mine is doing with one of yours?"

Everyone looked at Tony, waiting for an explanation.

The billionaire ran a hand through his hair and brushed his fingers across his lips. Tony suppressed a smile and held his palms out. "Well...Avengers. Meet James Howlett."

"Call me Logan."

XX

**Note: There are only 2 more fics left in this series, Infinity War and Endgame. I'm about halfway through IW, but it might be a hot minute before I finish it. Subscribe if you'd like to be notified when it comes out **** Thank you to everyone who has read/favorited/commented on this series. All of the support pushes me to keep writing!**


End file.
